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The Cincinnati Bengals started the 2020s off with a bang Thursday night, doing the long-anticipated move and making Joe Burrow the first pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
And now Burrow has a rare chance to turn around one of the NFL’s longest-suffering teams.
Thursday night, he set the tone immediately when asked about his best trait, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
“I think it’s leadership. I’ve always been really, really good at bringing everybody together to form a common goal. And I think my work ethic kind of permeates throughout the team. I’m excited to get around all the guys and everybody within that building.”
Now would be a good time to mention every team that has anointed Burrow starter has found wild successes pretty quickly.
And as ESPN Stats & Info noted, he’s got a chance to break the second-longest drought facing a No. 1 pick — ever:
Joe Burrow was not alive the last time the Bengals won a playoff game (1990), that gives Cincinnati the 2nd-longest drought by a team picking 1st overall in NFL Draft history, behind the 1970 Steelers.
If history repeats itself, the 2020s could belong to Burrow and Cincinnati. pic.twitter.com/hrvKayx0Ye
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 24, 2020
Not that the task will come easy. The Bengals head into Year 2 of the Zac Taylor era still rebuilding a roster and now face an unorthodox, all-virtual offseason.
But based on the aggressive spending in free agency, a full year of chemistry for the new-look franchise and Burrow’s track record as a program-changing presence, he might just have what it takes to shatter this drought and bring in the roaring 20s for the Bengals.
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